The present invention relates to Bluetooth communication units, wireless communication systems, wireless communication devices, Bluetooth communication methods, and wireless communication methods.
Numerous wireless communication protocols have been introduced in recent years to accommodate a number of diverse communication applications. Exemplary conventional communication protocols include Personal Handy-Phone Systems (PHS) and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) and Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM). Such communication protocols provide communication channel slots structured in frames individually containing multiple slots. Data packets are allocated to communication slots in such communication systems. The frame structures are repeated in time and each time the appropriate slot number occurs, the data packet associated with the slot is either transmitted or received.
FIG. 1A-FIG. 1B show a frame structure for a conventional Personal Handy-Phone System. A frame structure is illustrated where different data packets Atx, Arx, Btx, Brx and Ctx are enabled by software. The enabling and disabling of data packets occurs synchronous to channel slot channeling and is indicated by the vertical arrows. For example, packet B is enabled after frame N, slot 7 and before frame N+1, slot 3. If such timing parameters are not met, packet B will not start in the desired correct slot (frame N+1, slot 3) but too early (frame N, slot 7) or too late (frame N+1, slot 7). Such also applies to the disabling of data packets. For example, if packet A is not disabled after frame N+1, slot 5 and before frame N+1, slot 1, an additional packet A may be sent in frame N+2, slot 1.
In other communication protocols, communications slots are utilized without a frame structure. One such communication protocol is Bluetooth. In systems such as Bluetooth, data packets are normally enabled when data is to be sent and not at a fixed slot number.
Referring to FIG. 2A-FIG. 2B, further details of the Bluetooth communication protocol are described. For example, if a packet A is to be sent at a first available slot, then the communicating device determines the current slot number and programs the first suitable slot number to activate the data packet. In the illustrated example, data packet A could be sent in slot N+2 and slot N+3. If multiple packets are to be sent within a short time interval (e.g., shorter than the data packets can be sent corresponding to packets A, C, B being enabled during slots N+13xe2x88x92N+15), software manages multiple packets (e.g., packet A, slot N+14 and N+15; packet C, slot N+16 and N+17; packet B, slot N+18 and N+19). Data packets are activated on a first-in/first-out basis (FIFO) in conventional arrangements.